11/3/22 Full Edition

Old Gold&Black “Covers the campus like the magnolias”

VOL 109 NO.63 109,,NO.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 2022 NOVEMBER 3,

WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6

"My family would be in danger" International students face risks in hanging protest posters BREANNA LAWS Staff Writer Protest posters criticizing the Chinese government and Chinese President Xi Jinping are currently hanging in multiple campus buildings at Wake Forest in response to China’s 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing, which elected Jinping to a third term.

Posted on the walls of Manchester Hall, Tribble Hall, ZSR Library and multiple South Campus residence halls, some posters called for the end of Jinping’s presidency, labelling him “a dictator.”

Others featured photos from a banner attacking China’s zero-COVID policy that hung on Sitong bridge in Beijing, which, according to the poster, is currently censored in China.

The individual responsible for the banner on the Sitong Bridge in Beijing is referred to as the “banner-man” by many Chinese citizens. At this time, the identity of this individual is unknown.

Though many posters on campus show support for this “banner-man,” a student also put up posters in support of Jinping and China’s zeroCOVID policy.

According to reporting from ProPublica, U.S. national security officials confirmed that Jinping’s government surveils its citizens even outside the country, including on college campuses. ProPublica also reported instances of international students’ families facing retaliation back home in China for speaking out against the Chinese government on their campus.

Due to fear of potential reprisal by the Chinese govern-

ment, several interviewees have requested to remain anonymous. The Old

Gold & Black respects these requests out of the utmost caution for these students.

For clarity purposes, the students who elected to remain anonymous will be referred to as “Student A” and “Student B.” An anonymous professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs described the current political situation in China.

“China has just ended the 20th party congress of the CCP, and Jinping is widely expected to be reappointed as the party's general secretary for an unprecedented third term,” they said. “In the past two terms, for 10 years, he has consolidated his power through the periodical change of political elites for political support, constant anti-corruption campaigns to eliminate oppositions and the suppression of domestic sharp criticisms.”

Student A, a student involved in putting up the posters, said they printed and posted the material during fall break. They mentioned that one student involved in hanging the posters has received verbal harassment on Instagram and WeChat, a messaging service owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent.

“I have considered the risk,” Student A said.

“But in [the] United States, I have the right to exercise my freedom of [expression].”

The student mentioned dissatisfaction with the zero-COVID policy in China, which, aiming to eliminate the number of COVID-19 cases domestically, continue to restrict international travel.

This created a significant barrier when Student A went back to China during the summer break. They had to quarantine for weeks before returning home.

Their family had also been negatively impacted by the restrictions, as their father had been unemployed due to the constraint of foreign trade.

“I think the person who put up the banner is courageous,” said Student A, referring to the photo of the protest banner in Beijing. “It represents the consciousness of democracy and a fight against authoritarianism. If there is no rule of law and intervening power, dictatorship is inevitable.”

Another student involved, Student B, expressed concern after being harassed online following the putting up of their posters. This student has since reported this incident to the Dean of Students.

At the time of publication, the Dean of Students' Office did not immediately return the Old Gold & Black’s request for comment.

“If he wanted to report this to the Chinese government, my family would be in danger,” they said.

They also express concern for other Chinese international students involved in the protest.

“If we want to go back to China, we might be affected by the things we did.”

Student B claims to have had incidents with the Chinese government and censorship in the past.

They have had government officials show up at their house after spreading similar messages back in their home city.

Despite this, the student strongly believes in the positive effect that placing these posters will have in educating others about the issue.

When asked about how the university should involve itself in the issue, Student B responded saying, “We just want the university to protect our freedom of speech.”

Junior Lance Wang has also put up posters around campus — in opposition to the posters of those supporting the “banner-man” in Beijing.

Wang states that he believes China’s zeroCOVID policy is the best possible strategy for the Chinese government to be taking at this time.

“I have considered the risk, but in the United States, I have the right to exercise my freedom of expression.”

“Although China has a considerably high vaccination rate, the effectiveness is much lower than Pfizer and Moderna due to different technology,” Wang said. “China has a much higher population density than that of America, and China’s medical system is still vulnerable and developing in both quantity and quality.”

He continued: “It’s unrealistic for China to coexist with COVID-19 at this point because the price is unaffordable, and COVID-zero is the most socially responsible and economically beneficial policy at this point.”

See Protest Posters, Page 3

What's Inside NEWS University to provide winter break housing...

Page Four

ENVIRONMENT The spooky side of buying Halloween ...

Page Five

FEATURES Deacon Profile: Matthew Dailey Page Six

OPINION Is it time to move on from Trump?

Page Ten

SPORTS 2022 ACC Cross Country Championship Page Sixteen

LIFE What freedom is worth Page Fifteen

Old Gold & Black “ (Don't) stop the presses This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

This past weekend, six members of the Old Gold & Black editorial board traveled to our nation’s capital to celebrate the free press, college journalism and to hear new perspectives on how to perform the responsibility we take so very dearly — to cover the campus like the magnolias.

At MediaFest 22, we heard from legendary journalists such as John Quiñones, Bill Whitaker, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Their message to us was clear: dig deeper and make sure the communities you hold dear are informed. We are committed to doing both.

We would be remiss, however, after spending a weekend feting the free press, not to comment on a few concerning trends we see developing in terms of free expression both abroad and at home.

This week, the Old Gold & Black’s frontpage story recounts the efforts of Chinese international students and Chinese-American students to protest Xi Jinping’s government in China. A life article on pg. 14 tells a similar

story in the first person. There is a reason that most of the students and sources quoted in the front-page article, as well as the author of the life article, chose to remain anonymous. While we applaud the courage these students (and professor) took in speaking their truth to the Old Gold & Black, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the media surveillance and restriction of free expression that led to their decision to remain anonymous.

But let us be clear: restrictions on free expression do not begin, nor do they end in China.

Last semester, in Texas, the administration of Texas A&M shuttered its school newspaper’s print edition — a move, as recent reporting reveals, that was inspired by a shady group of alumni and influencers. The Texas A&M Battalion did not back down and continued printing its newspaper. For its efforts throughout this ordeal, the Battalion was awarded the Student Press Freedom Award from the Student Press Law Center last Friday.

The Battalion’s story is a reminder that the

right to a free press that we often take for granted can be taken away. According to Reporters Without Borders, the United States now ranks 42nd of 180 countries in terms of press freedom, indicating a problematic climate for journalists. One of the indicators of an unsafe climate — as Reporters Without Borders recognizes — is harassment, and yes, we at the Old Gold & Black have faced harassment for reporting the news. Defending press freedom is important because its abridgment can happen anywhere at any time.

Harrassment aside, we at the Old Gold & Black recognize that when we proclaim the virtues of a free press, we do so from a position of privilege. Although we are not economically independent from Wake Forest, we have full editorial independence, due to an administration that may not always see eye to eye with us but respects the importance of a campus newspaper that can report without fear. It is that freedom which has allowed us to deliver award-winning coverage on topics such as the Weaver Fire,

It is our profound wish that everyone, everywhere who wishes to do the work of good journalism is able to do so anywhere. social justice, mental health and COVID-19.

Today and every day, we recommit to delivering the best possible coverage of this campus and community that we can muster. It is our profound wish that everyone, everywhere who wishes to do the work of good journalism is able to do so anywhere.

So here’s to a free press, here’s to seeking truth and reporting it, here’s to minimizing harm, here’s to being accountable and transparent, here’s to acting independently — and here’s to covering the campus like the magnolias.

Old Gold&Black THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY SINCE 1916

CONNOR MCNEELY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF mcnecb19@wfu.edu

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>> NEWS Christa Dutton, duttcd20@wfu.edu Emily Toro, toroer20@wfu.edu Asst.

Maddie Stopyra, stopmf21@wfu.edu >> FEATURES Meredith Prince, prinmc21@wfu.edu Chase Bagnall-Koger, bagncm21@wfu.edu >> ENVIRONMENT Una Wilson, wilsui20@wfu.edu Asst.

Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu >> OPINION Sophie Guymon, guymsm20@wfu.edu Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu >> SPORTS Ian Steffensen, steffip21@wfu.edu Aaron Nataline, nataae21@wfu.edu >> LIFE Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu >> PHOTO Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.ed Evan Harris, harres22@wfu.edu >> ADVISER Phoebe Zerwick, zerwicp@wfu.edu

>> POLICIES The Old Gold & Black is published every other Thursday during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Printing of Durham. © 2022 WFU Media Board. All rights reserved. The views expressed in all editorials and advertisements contained within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the OGB. As part of our commitment to reporting news fairly and accurately, we will not remove any previously published content. If an error in either our online or print content is brought to our attention, we will revise the originally published article with an appended correction. In order to facilitate thoughtful and appropriate debate, profane, vulgar, or inflammatory comments on our website are not allowed and will be deleted. For more information on our commenting policy, please see our website. We reserve the right to reject advertisements deemed inappropriate. Our full policy, and how to advertise with the OGB, can be found on our website. >> SUBMISSIONS The OGB welcomes submissions in the form of story tips, columns and letters to the editor.

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Turn to page 5 to read more context.

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News | Old Gold & Black

Protest Posters: Students offer different viewpoints Continued from Page 1 In response to the posters criticizing Jinping, Wang said: “It’s irresponsible to stigmatize President Jinping just because he has claimed a third term. Democracy is a very broad and subtle term, and the form of democracy varies among different pragmatic situations, social culture and historical periods.”

“I have a good understanding of Jinping’s history and the history of the CCP, and I think his economic philosophies and pragmatic values have made his place in the party,” Wang said. “It’s always good to be skeptical, but what the poster expressed is pure hate and malice, and they failed to consider both sides of Jinping’s third term.”

Evan Harris/Old Gold&Black Wang continued: “I [oppose] the people who put-up these irresponsible posters because they just talk but have never taken action. It’s important to understand that no civil struggles are solely because of the government and usually take long-term consistent efforts.”

He also explained that these posters perpetuate bias against the Chinese government.

“For some self-evident reasons, China and the Chinese government are portrayed in a negative way by Western mainstream politicians, and these misleading posters will do nothing but strengthen this bias,” Wang said.

Wang concludes with a request to those responsible for the original posters: “Talk less, and do more.”

Despite respecting opposing opinions, Student A responded to Wang’s argument with disapproval.

“If you look at the process of changing the constitution in any other countries, not a single one of them has such a high approval rate in China, not even in Russia,” they said. “It is a step back for democracy.”

They also said that Wang’s comparison between Jinping and Angela Merkel, former Chancellor of Germany, is problematic, remarking that Merkel’s 16-year reign in her position is a result of an “authentic civic election.”

The U.S. government has expressed its disapproval of Jinping’s third term. In response, the U.S. govern-

Thursday, November 3, 2022 | Page 3 ment has announced a large ban that will block China’s access to the purchasing and production of advanced semiconductor chips.

Given the increased international tension, the aforementioned Wake Forest professor believes that Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are trying to tighten their grip on the government to ensure domestic stability and national unity.

He also released a statement to the Old Gold & Black regarding how these issues may be impacting international students from China.

“It may be an unpleasant and awkward situation for international students from China whenever their class discussions and personal conversation with friends are related to China.”

He continued: “We all need to remind ourselves of the academic institution’s mission in education and commitment to knowledge advancement through [the] free exchange of ideas and tolerance of various perspectives. All these can be achieved by empathic understanding, rational dialogues and reasonable arguments.”

Editor’s Note: Another writer contributed to this article but has chosen to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisal.

Contact Breanna Laws at lawsbn21@wfu.edu

Christa Dutton/Old Gold&Black

Evan Harris/Old Gold&Black

A few Chinese students printed and hung posters in campus buildings to protest the reelection of Xi Jinping and China’s COVID-19 policies.

CORRECTION In an article in our Oct. 20 print issue entitled, “Supreme Court to hear Affirmative Action lawsuits; WFU will remain committed to diversity”, the lede of the story read: “Despite the Supreme Court hearing a challenge to affirmative action on Oct. 31, Wake Forest’s Office of Admissions assured the Old Gold & Black that its admissions process will not change.” This lede has been updated on our website to more accurately reflect the Office of Admissions’ position that its values will not change when it comes to admissions. It now reads: “Despite the Supreme Court hearing a challenge to affirmative action on Oct. 31, Wake Forest’s Office of Admissions assured the Old Gold & Black that it will remain committed to the values of inclusivity.”

POLICE BEAT • • • • • •

Three males that are not affiliated with Wake Forest University were driving around campus in a silver Nissan Frontier. One of the males rolled down the back window and shot unknown objects from a gun at two students. The gun was described to be partially orange and when fired a white light lit up. One of the students was grazed by an object that was fired from the gun. The students did not want to press charges. The report was filed on Oct. 25 at 8:54 p.m.

An unknown subject took a black scooter with a red front tire stolen at Farrell Hall. The report was filed on Oct. 27 at 6:01 p.m.

Unknown subject(s) took a backpack, laptop and property from the Reynolds Gym. The report was filed on Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

A student consumed alcohol underage in Poteat Hall. The report was filed on Oct. 28 at 10:44 p.m.

A student consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana at an off-campus party on Rosedale Circle. The report was filed on Oct. 29 at 12:55 a.m.

A student drank at an off-campus party on Long Drive (possibly Lambda Chi) and was brought back to campus by her roommate. The report was filed on Oct. 29 at 2:17 a.m.

Page 4 | Thursday, November 3, 2022

Old Gold & Black | News

University to provide winter break housing for international students; Chinese students still face obstacles in returning home HOPE ZHU Staff Writer The university plans to provide winter break housing for international students this winter break, according to Associate Director of Operations of Residential Life and Housing Zachary Blackmon. Many of Wake Forest’s 323 Chinese international students will choose to remain in the United States because of China’s COVID-19 quarantine policies.

Residence Life and Housing has not yet announced what kind of housing will be available or where. As details are solidified, the office will share an update with the student body.

Last year, Residence Life announced that the university would not provide housing during winter break on Oct. 4, 2021, causing frustration and dissatisfaction among international students since the pandemic continued to affect travel to different countries.

After the Old Gold & Black published a report by Mingxuan Zhu, Dexter Peters and Elena Marsh highlighting the dilemma, Residence Life and Housing updated its winter break policy.

Winter break housing is a necessary accommodation for Chinese international students because traveling home to China is both costly and

inconvenient because of quarantine policies still in place in China. China still requires a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in either a governmentselected facility or a hotel at the traveler’s expense, making travel difficult and inconvenient for Chinese international students. Winter break is roughly four weeks long, and Chinese students have to spend half of that isolated from their families.

As the rest of the world lifts its COVID-19 policies to the point where it creates no restrictions on day-to-day life, China is still highly responsive to any sign of a COVID-19 outbreak due to the government’s zero-COVID policy. According to the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, the number of new cases across 31 provinces was 521 on Oct 5. Only two of these were considered serious cases.

Chinese residents remain concerned about the spread of the virus. Sophomore Andrea Zhang, who already bought the ticket home for the upcoming winter break, is concerned about the discrimination she might face going back home.

“My dad is traveling for business all over the places in China,” Zhang said.

“When he comes back, maybe the places he has gone [became places of high COVID-19 risk]. This [subjects him to] discriminat[ion]because peo-

ple in our community will treat him declaring the removal of COVID-19 as a threat.” tests for international arrivals. This As of Nov.1, 2,889 areas in China is a silver lining for Chinese internahave been categorized as “highly tional students who wish to go home risky”, including many business dis- during the upcoming winter break. tricts and neighborhoods in major “I think things will get better,” cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou. said junior Richard Zhang, who also In these high-risk areas, many restric- bought a plane ticket to China in Detions are still in place. A negative CO- cember.

VID-19 test result within 24 hours is Zhang’s primary concern now shifts still required to use public transpor- to the transition from the break to the tation. Residents must also take two start of the spring semester.

COVID-19 tests every three days, and “I expect to arrive at midnight besightseeing and mass gatherings have fore the first day of class,” Zhang said. been prohibited.

“If there [was] a possible accommo“I planned to travel around when dation for students like me that can I went back,” sophomore Emily Liu be implemented by Wake Forest, that said. “But I could not go to a lot of [would] be great.” places because of the restrictions, and Echo Liu agreed that the university I feared that I would not be able to should consider some flexibilities with return to the school if I became a close its schedule and housing to meet the contact of a virus carrier.” needs of its largest share of internaIn addition to the inconvenience of tional students.

COVID-19 policies, cost also plays a “I don’t feel like the university is factor in students’ decisions to stay. giving enough attention to its interEmily Liu paid an estimated $10,000 national students in general,” said to travel home last summer. This Echo Liu. “It is very important that amount included her flight, multiple the school should come up with some COVID-19 tests, a seven-day hotel policies since we, as students, are unstay in Los Angeles and a 21-day ho- able to avoid certain time conflicts, tel stay in China for quarantine. She and not every professor will underwould likely pay a similar amount to stand us. We are entirely dependent travel home for winter break. on ourselves.”

On Aug. 25, 2022, a new health declaration form was released by the Contact Hope Zhu at General Administration of Customs zhuq21@wfu.edu

Photos: Students host annual Project Pumpkin festival

Lucius You/Old Gold & Black

ENVIRONMENT OLD GOLD & BLACK

Una Wilson, wilsui20@wfu.edu Asst. Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu

PAGE 5 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022

The spooky side of buying Halloween costumes firsthand How Wake Forest is fighting back against the usual flood of overconsumption this Halloween HOPE ZHU Staff Writer Before you order that wacky Halloween costume on Amazon this year, think about the 2,000 tons of waste in the UK alone that will be sent to landfills following this year’s Halloween festivities.

In light of this troubling statistic, one Wake Forest student is determined to lend a touch of green to all that orange and black by holding the first-ever sustainable costume contest on campus on Oct 28, the Friday before Halloween.

“If for one day, I can get as many people as possible to wear a sustainable costume, ” senior Roxie Ray, organizer of the sustainable costume contest, said. “Hopefully, [the costume] waste [at Wake Forest] can be reduced by a significant amount.”

As a Sustainable Clothing and Style Intern in the Wake Forest Office of Sustainability, Ray wanted the participants of the sustainable costume contest to perpetuate the idea of reusing clothes in different ways in their lives after their first wear.

“One of the main focuses I’ve had in promoting this event is trying to in engage students that aren’t typically engaged with sustainability, “ said Ray, “I am trying to change the narrative of sustainability, showing that it can also be really fun and exciting.”

The festive shopping frenzy of Halloween has left its spookiest aftermath in this most recent decade. The aforementioned 2,000 tons of waste is equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles, according to a study conducted by a London-based environmental charity, Hubbub. It takes 20 to two hundred years to decompose the polyester in the costumes.

The same survey revealed that 82.5% of Halloween costume materials contained plastic and that seven million Halloween costumes are thrown away each year.

While the exact corresponding statistic is unavailable in the US, the amount of waste is only scarier. Over 5.4 million kilograms of textile waste are produced by businesses and consumers throwing away Halloween costumes in the US every year.

With each passing year, Americans continue to spend more. According to a press release by National Retail Federation on Sept. 19, 2022, total Halloween spending across the US spiked to $10.6 billion, exceeding last year’s record of $10.1 billion. $3.6 billion of those dollars go towards costume spending.

Ray recognized the dark side of feverish consumerism associated with holiday celebrations, which was her primary motivation behind hosting Friday’s contest.

“At Wake, where people are relatively affluent, almost every day in a Halloween week, there is a different event, ” said Ray, “But I doubt people are going to change after the contest. So they will wear a sustainable costume to whatever parties they’re going to that night.”

According to Ray, contestants’ costumes are required to contain certain sustainable elements, which could mean either a component of the costume was purchased secondhand, or recycled from clothes that you already owned or borrowed from somebody else.

Students and faculty were able to enter the costume contest as an individual, a duo, or a group. Every contestant was asked to come up on the stage and describe the sustainable component of their outfit. While the contestants stood on the stage, the audience voted on their favorite costumes on their phones, Ray said.

After running through everyone, the points for each contestant were calculated and the winner was announced. In addition to the highly coveted pumpkin trophy, the winner was awarded the chance to pick 10 people to enjoy a gourmet meal from Under the Oaks.

In the end, junior Una Wilson, who wore a mushroom costume made from clothing items she either already owned or had thrifted, took the first place prize (managing editor’s note: this article was originally published as a preview online and has since been changed to reflect the name of the winner. The fact that the winner mentioned in this article is our environment editor is entirely coincidental, and Una Wilson did not have any editorial involvement with this paragraph). Senior Hain Henderson was the runner-up in second place with a knight costume featuring chainmail he had created using pop tabs at the Wakerspace.

“I’ve probably spent like 20 hours just on promoting,” said Ray with a proud smile, “I just went through the list of campus organizations and started emailing all of them.”

Though many registered on the day of the contest, a variety of student organizations like Girl Up and Wake Radio, as well as interns like those from the Office of Sustainability, signed up with group representatives beforehand.

“We are going to dress like frogs and toads because we all happen to have a lot of green and brown clothes, ” said Gretchen Castelloe, the Sustainability and the Arts Intern from the Office of Sustainability, “But we don’t have to go shopping for anything as we can just wear stuff that we already have.”

Castelloe also mentioned that some sorority members are planning to provide extra costumes for those who want to participate but don’t have one.

“I think that sustainability is becoming a bigger issue at Wake because the theme is getting trendy, ” said Castelloe, “The younger generations and the older generations are all aware that we should stop damaging the earth.”

Brian Cohen, assistant director for Sustainable Engagement in the Office of Sustainability, helps plan student initiatives like Ray’s costume contest. Cohen said that the power of popular culture has worked in favor of promoting the sustainable development of fashion, especially when it comes to practices like thrifting.

“The best thing to do when it comes to fashion is that most people make decisions based on what they think is popular,” said Cohen, “If we can elevate the profile of secondhand clothing to show how popular it is, it can win more people over.”

The sustainable costume contest was held in Pugh Auditorium at 5:00 pm on Friday, Oct. 28. Roughly forty people were in attendance, and enjoyed a live performance from the Wake Forest student band, SCOBY, before and after the costume contest.

Graphics by Una Wilson/ Old Gold & Black Contact Hope Zhu at zhuq21@wfu.edu

Photo courtesy of Brian Cohen

Junior Una Wilson won first place with her mushroom costume made of fabrics thrifted from the Goodwill bins and items she already had at home.

FEATURES Meredith Prince, prinmc21@wfu.edu Chase Bagnall-Koger, bagncm21@wfu.edu

OLD GOLD & BLACK

PAGE 6 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022

DEACON PROFILE Matthew Dailey seven miles in the mountains, practicing rope systems, a class or two and then practicing on your own. If you don’t practice on your own, you’re screwed,” Sophomore ROTC cadet Matthew Dailey said.

Dailey has always known that he wanted Six undergraduate cadets were choto be in the U.S. Army. When he was litsen to attend the camp. By the end of tle, he loved Civil War comic books, milcamp, Dailey was one of only three unitary themed coloring books and playing dergraduate cadets to graduate from the with his hundreds of little Army soldier program. figurines. Dailey’s interest stems from his “The feeling that I got when I finished relationship with his father, John Daiwas pretty awesome,” Dailey said. “I had ley (‘87), who was also a ROTC cadet at been preparing for it for four months, Wake Forest and went on to serve as an and I hadn’t thought about anything officer in the U.S. Army. else. It was the first thing I thought of “My dad has influenced me in a lot of every day for that whole time. Finishing ways,” Dailey shared. “He shows me how it was very, very rewarding.” important it is to keep a level head in all The part-classroom-and-field-trainsituations no matter how much stress ing-course is one of the smallest of the you’re under or how bad things are. He is Army training schools. Dailey is one of also very stoic and that’s one of the things only five Wake Forest cadets to have had he’s taught me. It really relates to being the opportunity to attend. Other trainin the Army because things really never ing schools include Airborne, Air Asgo as planned and it’s a very stressful and sault and Northern Warfare, which have anxiety-inducing atmosphere.” had 170, 55, and seven Wake Forest caWhen Dailey received a four-year dets attend each, respectively.

ROTC Scholarship at Wake Forest, his “It’s pretty unique in that a lot of peodreams of joining the U.S. Army beple are selected to do it, and it gives you came a reality. He is now an MS II, the a lot of respect among the other ROTC Sophomore ranking, in the program. cadets and cadres,” Dailey said.

Apart from the day-to-day ROTC comBesides Dailey, senior cadet Andrew mitments — including workouts three Harlow is the only other Wake Forest to five times a week — Dailey had the cadet to attend Mountain Warfare in unique opportunity to attend Army the past 20 years. Harlow attended the Mountain Warfare School for two weeks camp last year and was able to share his in September.

Photo Courtesy of Matthew Dailey experiences and knowledge with Dailey Army Mountain Warfare School ofbefore Dailey left for Mountain Warfare fers a two-week-intensive Basic and Advanced on them on the final day of camp. These skills include an array of ropes tests and systems, such this year.

Dailey truly believes he could not have Mountaineering courses multiple times a year at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, as hauling, rappelling, and body-carrying sys- succeeded without Harlow’s support.

“I credit all my success to Harlow because Vermont. Dailey was selected by a Wake Forest tems, among other things. right when we found out I got selected, he gave Each day Dailey woke up at 6:15 a.m., put on Cadre to attend the summer course in Septemme all the equipment he used to practice when his uniform, went to the dining facility, gathered ber of this year.

“You go for two weeks. In the first week, they his gear and reported with his squad for check-in he went,” Dailey said. “It was his equipment break you in a little bit with classroom stuff,” before being out on the field by 7:15 a.m. His and his pointers that helped me excel when I Dailey said. “You start going out into the field squad would then ruck — a jog or fast-walk in got there.”

When the ROTC cadets are commissioned on Wednesday of the first week, and then after uniform with a rucksack — for miles to get to during their senior year, each cadet receives a that you go out to the field every day until you the designated training spot for the day.

“Sometimes the rucks were very difficult, and score that will be used to determine their poleave.”

While out on the field, the ca- dets are sometimes they were shorter,” Dailey said. “The sition in the Army after they graduate. Going trained in mountain warfare and cold weather last one we did was around four miles. We went to a training school like Mountain Warfare can combat skills and tactics before they are tested up a mountain, back down it, walked over a help boost a cadet’s score and open up more opmile, and then went up like a two-and-a-half- portunities. Dailey hopes that graduating from mile mountain. There were people throwing up Mountain Warfare will help him receive the Infantry slot he is hoping for after his time at during it.”

Once the team got to the training spot for the Wake Forest.

Apart from getting him closer to his career asday, they were taught the ropes systems and othpirations, Dailey brought home many life leser skills for that day. sons from the program.

“You could be rappelling rock climbing rope “It definitely wasn’t easy at any point,” Dailey systems, or whatever the lesson was for the day.

You would do that for about 2-3 hours, eat said. “The fact that it was very hard gave me lunch, and then practice that skill again or walk more confidence in school. I was behind in all somewhere else — about another two miles or my classes when I got back. I studied a lot there and knew I could catch back up here. It kind of so — to do another skill.”

The training did not stop after returning from confirmed the idea that I can do hard things, the field. Sometimes, the cadets had multiple because that’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Photo Courtesy of Matthew Dailey classroom sessions in the evenings. Dailey pracThe Army Mountain Warfare School group gathers ticed his ropes every night before going to bed. Contact Addison Berry at “Everyday consisted of rucking up to six or berraf20@wfu.edu together for a photo after a day full of training and tests.

ADDISON BERRY Staff Writer

Features | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, November 3, 2022 | Page 7

Visit the ‘one-man show’ at Murphy’s Lunch Located in Downtown Winston-Salem, this diner is 72 years old and is now fully operated by one man YUSHUO WANG Staff Writer

Whoosh, clatter, jingle. The minute hand of the wall clock ticked past 11:30 a.m. Diners filed in and out non-stop, shuffling around the room and filling cups from the drink machine. A man in a bottle-green T-shirt and black apron stood behind the grill station, busy using a spatula to flip burgers while the hot oil sizzled.

John A. Nikas, chef and owner of Murphy’s Lunch on Third Street in downtown Winston-Salem, greeted each customer without missing a beat at the grill. In no more than 10 minutes, all the customers, whether white-collar workers with waist-pinned name tags, elderly couples taking time savoring pork chops or off-duty Winston-Salem Fire Department workers, received their dine-in plates or to-go containers.

To ensure this quick service, Nikas arrives at Murphy’s Lunch every Monday to Friday between 7-7:30 a.m. He tries to have everything ready by 11:00 a.m. when the restaurant opens.

“This week was a pretty good week,” Nikas said. According to him, every day from 2 p.m. until the restaurant closes at 5 p.m. is the only time he feels the bustling atmosphere slow down. That’s when Nikas settles down at a table to treat himself to a cup of coffee and a bowl of coffee-and-candy-chips ice cream.

Except for the occasional times when one of his daughters assists him at the restaurant, Nikas has been running Murphy’s Lunch alone since he reopened it in May 2022.

“Now John was trying this very new idea for us — a one-man show. One man running everything,” said Jerry Greco, whom Nikas considered a family customer at Murphy’s Lunch.

Murphy’s Lunch, a 72-year-old downtown institution that Nikas took over in 2010, closed temporarily in April 2020 when the COVID–19 pandemic hit. According to Nikas, he did not initially plan to shut down the business and hoped to keep it open by changing its dining-in mode to a takeaway model.

However, when people switched to working from home, fewer customers came to support the business, and Nikas decided to close it.

Greco was impressed by the steps Nikas took to prepare to reopen Murphy’s Lunch, which included repainting all the walls, replacing the original ceiling with new tiles and adding a new awning in front of the restaurant.

Brian Gravely, a frequent visitor of Murphy’s Lunch, stopped by one recent afternoon. “[Nikas] has items on his hot bar for lunch that you normally can’t get anywhere else unless you cook them at home,” said Gravely, who usually comes in and gets whatever the hot bar serves. On his plate that day were panfried boneless pork chops, creamed potatoes with gravy, lima beans and a dinner roll with

butter.

The hot bar at Murphy’s Lunch is what distinguishes it from many other restaurants downtown. Laid out in a cafeteria style, the hot table consists of dishes that change frequently.

“You can come here almost every day and still get something different all the time,” Steve Mcdowall said. He pointed at the two meatloaf slices on his plate that Murphy’s Lunch is famous for.

Pam Mcadoo, who visited Murphy’s Lunch three times a week before the pandemic, missed the breakfast Nikas used to offer before the pandemic.

“He made the best omelet in the whole wide world,” Mcadoo said. “He takes time with his food and cares about how it tastes to the customer. And I will give him credit for that.”

According to Nikas, people want convenience more for breakfast than other meals.

“Breakfast is very difficult to do as a solo,” Nikas said. He plans to start serving breakfast again when the roads closed for construction on Third Street reopen. Recently, he added an ice cream bar to attract young, school-aged children with the knowledge that the construction was for a new location of Kaleideum, a children’s museum.

In the future, Nikas would like Murphy’s Lunch to be fully staffed in order to provide better customer service and ensure its long-

Yushuo Wang/ Old Gold & Black

The central location of Murphy’s Lunch draws workers in for a quick meal. term survival.

“Because I’m serving other people, and I’m by myself, I don’t have the time to show that same excitement to see them,” Nikas said. He wants to spend more time taking care of his customers, especially the regular ones who came to congratulate him on its reopening.

“I want to keep adding to [Murphy’s Lunch’s] future,” Nikas said.

Contact Yushuo Wang at wangy220@wfu.edu

‘Woof’ Forest brings job to dogs and students alike The organization hold events where students can play with and care for dogs from local shelters ANITA DONGIEUX Staff Writer

Wake Forest’s campus is filled with student-run organizations that cater to students who are looking to get involved in philanthropic work, make an impact on their community, and have a space outside of academics to meet new people; Woof Forest is certainly not an exception.

Calling all dog lovers, Woof Forest is a chartered student organization that helps bridge the connection between Wake Forest and the great Winston-Salem area by working with various animal shelters in the area and advocating for animal welfare.

Most recently, Woof Forest put on their Barktoberfest event — which takes place annually around the Halloween season — in which a local shelter brought a few of their dogs to campus. This group event, in addition to being a place for animal lovers to gather and play with pups, features a Halloween costume contest where any Wake-affiliated dog owner can bring their dogs decked out in costume.

Sophomore and secretary of Woof Forest, Lilli Ward, describes Barktoberfest as one of her favorite events put on by Woof Forest, but not nearly all that the organization contributes to campus life. Puppies on the Quad, she reflects, is one of Woof Forest’s most popular events.

Once or twice a semester, dogs from either Yadkin County Humane Society or Forsyth Humane Society come to campus and interact with Wake Forest students.

The students pay money to pet and play with the animals while all the proceeds go towards that specific charity. Ward further discusses that sometimes this event will pair with other organizations on campus,

one example being Greek Life chapters, to help promote the event.

Junior and President of Woof Forest, Savannah Longo, similarly awaits Puppies on The Quad as she shares its strategic planning.

“We plan to have another Puppies On The Quad event before the end of the semester, around finals week to help alleviate some of the stress of finals,” Longo said.

One thing that Woof Forest prides itself on is being a club that helps to connect students with fulfilling activities but does not overwhelm them with too many time commitments or strenuous activities, providing an outlet for Wake Forest students who want to get involved but do not want to add too much to their plate.

Ward recalls how she originally got involved with Woof Forest. After hearing from word of mouth what the club was about, she was immediately drawn into its mission and agenda.

“I am a dog lover at heart,” Ward said.

“Having dogs at home that I always miss while I’m at school, being a part of Woof Forest is able to provide me that same comfort that I get from spending time with my dogs at home.”

Ward illustrates the club as giving that “home away from home” feel, which is something that she believes a lot of Wake Forest students could benefit from; plus, she adds that getting to help out the Winston-Salem animal community is an added bonus.

Woof Forest tends to attract those who are passionate about animals; as many members, inducing Sophomore Deirde Tighe, embody: “I really enjoy being in Woof Forest because it is a place where dog

Photo courtesy of @wfuwoofforest on Instagram

Students at last year’s Puppies on the Quad event came out to help raise funds for Yadkin Country Animal Shelter and relieve stress. lovers can come together and help raise money for really important causes,” Tighe said.

In terms of upcoming events to anticipate, Hearts for Hounds, a Valentine’s Day-themed event, will soon be in the works: another rendition of Puppies on the Quad that gathers various members of the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community together to spread some extra love for animals in need.

These events can be positive experiences

for the dogs and students alike; last year, Woof Forest partnered with the Student Government for Mental Health Week to put on Hearts for Hounds. Through Woof Forest’s desire to bring happiness to not only these animals but also Wake Forest students, this partnership helped to further implement stress relief through philanthropic work.

Contact Anita Dongieux at dongap21@wfu.edu@wfu.edu

OPINION

PAGE 8 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Sophie Guymon, guymsm20@wfu.edu Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu

The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

Environmental Activism

Mixing tomato soup with oil Emma Shuford

Contributing Columnist On Oct. 14, two protestors from the activist group Just Stop Oil threw tomato soup on one of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous artworks, “Sunflowers”. The demonstration took place in Room 43 of the National Gallery in London.

The two activists, 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer and 20-year-old Anna Holland, threw tomato soup on “Sunflowers” before sitting on the floor in front of the painting and gluing their hands to the wall below the iconic artwork.

With her hands glued to the wall, Plummer spoke to the room of onlookers.

“What is worth more – art or life?” Plummer asked. “Is it worth more than food? Worth more than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting, or the protection of our planet and people? The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of oil crisis. Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup.”

Both Plummer and Holland were arrested and charged with criminal damage and aggravated trespass. The women appeared at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Oct. 15 and pleaded not guilty to criminal damage to the painting’s frame. They were released on bail with a trial date set for Dec. 13 at the City of London Magistrates’ Court.

Painted in 1888, the famous “Sunflowers” painting is worth about $80.99 million. While there is minimal damage to the frame, the painting itself is unharmed after the incident. The painting — covered by glass — was cleaned and put back in place that Friday afternoon, six hours after the incident occurred.

The spokesperson for the group, Mel Carrington, stated that the activists did not intend to damage the painting, which they knew was covered by protective glass.They only wanted to spark awareness and debate.

“Today’s action comes after two weeks of continued civil resistance by supporters of Just Stop Oil,” Carrington said in a press release. “The disruption is in response to the gov-

ernment’s inaction on both the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis.”

Only three months earlier, different Just Stop Oil members pasted paper over another famous work of art, John Constable’s “The Hay Wain”. These protests are part of the group’s larger movement to challenge the use of fossil fuels and promote discussion about climate and environmental issues.

In Glasgow, five Just Stop Oil members held a similar demonstration at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in July 2022 during which they glued themselves to

"While they gained attention and views ...

Just Stop Oil has also disillusioned individuals with their methods, likely affecting the appreciation of the larger issues they address." a famous artwork — this time Horatio McCulloch’s “My Heart in the Highlands”.

Just Stop Oil has held about half a dozen similar protests. The group is now being copied by activists in Italy and Germany.

The aims of the activists are noble ones: to convince the U.K. government to cease the progression and manufacturing of fossil fuels, as well as to promote further discussion among a broader audience about the challenges to our earth. This particular soup demonstration was spurred on by a decision from the U.K. government and former Prime

Minister Liz Truss to explore new areas for obtaining oil and gas in the North Sea. The government also nullified a fracking ban that was introduced in 2019.

Thus, in an effort to bring awareness to these issues, Just Stop Oil has been targeting these paintings because of their use of oil paints. For the past two weeks, the group has held numerous protests in London. On their organization’s website, there are numerous articles regarding their actions and protests.

The recent incident concerning the beloved van Gogh painting has taken the internet and social media by storm.

Plummer and Holland have gone viral on social media platforms — one of their videos gained 11 million views.

Perspectives on the actions of Just Stop Oil are mixed as heated debates continue on Twitter.

The group has been the subject of criticism from other environmental groups and individuals across the political spectrum. Conversely, they have been applauded by figures such as NASA climate scientist Peter Kalmus. Others, such as University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann, fear that Just Stop Oil’s vandalism will deter some people from activism aimed at climate issues as a whole.

“They’re very intense,” Caroline Mederos (‘26), an Art History major at Wake Forest, said. “I’m extremely upset that they chose to target a painting at all — let alone one by such an unproblematic artist — to attempt to get global attention when there are so many other ways that public attention can be achieved.”

However, the group did achieve its goal of attracting public attention. It is now time to see what they will do with it. While they gained attention and views on media platforms, Just Stop Oil has also disillusioned individuals with their methods, likely affecting the appreciation of the larger issues they address. Climate change and the effects of fossil fuel use on the declining environment are pressing issues — no doubt — but the means of gaining help for the planet are important to consider as well.

Contact Emma Shuford at shufee22@wfu.edu

Roksanna Keyvan/Old Gold & Black

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Opinion | Old Gold & Black

cause the plot called for her character to be killed off in every role she played.

Due to laws against interracial relationships and romances, Wong was unable to be cast in leading roles that required a romance with the leading male actors who were predominantly white. Unwilling to be relegated to stereotypical background roles, Wong moved to Europe, where she was able to play lead roles that catapulted her to global stardom.

When she returned to Hollywood, Wong was outspoken about the discrimination she faced. “I was so tired of the parts I had to play,” Wong said in 1933. “Why is it that the screen Chinese is nearly always the villain of the piece, and so cruel a villain? We are not like that.”

Wong used her fame to speak against depictions of Asian characters in the media in ways that had never been done before. Wong’s activism is impressive because she chose to embark on a lonely path, seeking to challenge an industry dominated by white people and resist the racist typecasting within it.

Wong helped pave the way for her fellow actors of color and was the first Asian American actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

The importance of meaningful representation in media has only become more apparent as we see the continued prevalence of antiAsian rhetoric and violence in our country, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The harmful stereotypes of today perpetuate the fetishization and dehumanization of Asian American women, mirroring the roles that were widely available for Wong to portray.

The hypersexualization that Wong experienced continues today, and has combined with the lack of positive media representation to create false ideas about Asian women. These negative stereotypes transcend crude fantasy and become a dangerous reality for so many of these women.

The next time you receive change, look for Anna May Wong on the quarter. She will be peering at you from under her signature bangs, imploring you to know her story so you may question the stereotypical portrayals you see on the screen and challenge the ways in which they manifest in our reality.

KS BARRIE

LUCY ROBERTS Staff Columnist

There is a new face featured on the quarter, which went into circulation on Monday, Oct. 24.

Anna May Wong is the first Asian American to be on U.S. currency. The tails side of the quarter depicts her face resting upon her hand — her name appears next to her. .

A Chinese American actress, Wong is widely considered to be the first Asian American movie star. In the 1920s, Wong rose to stardom and gained international recognition for her roles during a time when anti-Chinese sentiment and practices were normalized through yellowface and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which remained in place until 1943.

The Wong quarter is the fifth to be released in the American Women Quarters Program, which calls for five new coins each year from 2022 to 2025 that “[celebrate] the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States,” according to the U.S. Mint.

The coin was designed by Emily S. Damstra, who wanted to feature “the features that helped make her so compelling and memorable,” including her signature hair, narrow eyebrows, eyes and lips. Wong was often depicted with her hands posed elegantly near her face, so Damstra rested Wong’s chin on her hand, with one finger gently pointing to her name to “suggest she has been waiting for the kind of recognition that being on a United States coin might finally bring.”

“This quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments by Anna May Wong, who overcame challenges and obstacles she faced during her lifetime,” the director of the U.S. Mint, Ventris Gibson said.

Wong, born in 1905 in Los Angeles as a third-generation Chinese American, landed her first leading role at 17 in the 1922 silent film, “The Toll of the Sea.” But the roles offered to Wong were stereotypical and required her to embody problematic tropes such as the submissive lotus blossom or the sexually deviant dragon lady.

Wong’s identity as an Asian American woman limited her to roles such as the villain or self-sacrificing character. She famously referred to herself as “the actress who died a thousand deaths”

be-

On Thursday, Oct. 6, President Joe Biden pardoned over 6,500 people who were convicted under federal law of simple possession of cannabis since the 1970s. Though this is a major step in the legalization of cannabis, the majority of those convicted of simple possession fall under state law. Therefore, it’s ultimately up to governors and state legislatures to follow suit, a step the president is urging them to take.

Biden’s pardon — coming right before midterm elections — has pushed the ongoing debate about cannabis to the forefront of national and state politics. Democrats hope the push to legalize and decriminalize cannabis will energize younger, college-age voters in swing states like North Carolina, which also has stricter cannabis laws.

N.C. Governor Roy Cooper is in favor of following Biden’s policy and decriminalizing simple possession in North Carolina and ending the stigma.

“Conviction of simple possession can mar people’s records for life and maybe even prevent them from getting a job,” Cooper said on Friday, Oct. 7.

On Wake Forest’s campus, almost half of the student population has reported smoking cannabis before, and 26.5% of Wake Forest students report smoking on a regular basis, according to the Spring 2020 National Collegiate Health Assessment, as well as the Spring 2021 WFU Social Norms Survey.

Under North Carolina state law, almost half of Wake Forest students should have a criminal record.

Although this issue affects all Americans, African Americans are 3.64 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Even in states that have decriminalized cannabis, this racial disparity still exists as far as arrests go.

66% of Wake Forest students are white, while only 8% are black. Although our student population is geographically diverse and therefore brings a mix of cultural and social views on cannabis, we are not a racially diverse school.

Statistically, most of our students are not at a higher risk of being

Contact Lucy Roberts at robels20@wfu.edu Photo courtesy of the U.S. Mint

Photo courtesy of Vigor & Sage

charged for possession of cannabis based on race, giving our campus a skewed perspective on the root of America’s cannabis crisis.

In North Carolina, possession of more than 0.5 ounces of cannabis is punishable by up to 45 days in jail and up to $1,000 in fines, without exemptions for medical use.

Possession of more than 1.5 ounces is classified as a felony.

“It’s a step in the right direction in the war against unjust drug charges,” sophomore Julian Gideon said. “Politicians should be making decisions that benefit their constituents, and legalizing weed is what many Biden voters want.”

Gideon, who is a Maine native, noted that legalizing weed is an issue that could inspire him to change his voter registration from Maine to North Carolina to help swing the state blue in future elections.

“Biden is making the right decision about pardoning weed charges because it seems silly having some Americans, mostly minorities, being locked away behind bars while in other parts of the country, you can walk down the street smoking a joint freely,” Winston-Salem resident and sophomore Logan Brown said.

“Although I’m in favor of legalizing weed, I think Biden’s move was purely a political showing scheduled strategically right before midterms as a last-ditch effort to get more voters,” sophomore Abby Stubelis said, taking an alternative view, “If the pardon only actually helps a very small portion of those convicted under federal and not state law, then it’s kind of unfair to pretend it’s going to actually help a huge group of people.”

Biden’s pardon has — at the very least — started the conversation about the ethics behind drug laws in the United States. His policies affect communities and campuses nationwide, as many draft their laws based on federal policy. Democrats and Republicans alike will have to wait to see how this policy affects voter turnout for the approaching midterms.

Legalizing weed should not be a controversial issue, or really an issue at all. The science and evidence support its benefits. Our world is succumbing to climate change, children are in cages and nationalism is on the rise globally. Our time is better spent focusing on legitimate issues rather than whether people want to smoke a joint.

Contact Virginia Noone at noonvc21@wfu.edu

Page 10 | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, November 3, 2022 | Opinion

Affirmative Action

SCOTUS must uphold affirmative action Affirmative action has been instrumental to progress in education and should not be overturned Lourdes Lopez

Contributing Columnist

Photo courtesy of NBC News

Protestors show support for affirmative action.

On Oct. 31, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) began hearing two weeks of arguments regarding the affirmative action lawsuits against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) that were originally filed in 2014, raising many concerns as to whether raceconscious programs should even be lawful in the United States. The last case that SCOTUS heard regarding affirmative action was Fisher v.

University of Texas II, in which Fisher sued the university with the argument that the use of race as a consideration in the admissions process was violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Nonetheless, it was ruled lawful for race to be considered in the admissions process. SCOTUS has held a 5-4 conservative majority for much of recent history but shifted to a 6-3 majority following Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, signifying a change from Fisher in 2014. While the plaintiffs are trying to change a system that has worked for more than 40 years, the new conservative supermajority has shown a willingness to depart from historic precedent.

The Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) groups at Harvard and UNC-Chapel Hill are making the argument that race should not be considered in college admissions. The case against Harvard argues that the university is

discriminating against Asian American applicants in the race-conscious admissions process.

The plaintiffs accused Harvard of quantitatively measuring subjective traits like likability and kindness and thus creating what many call a “bamboo ceiling” — that is, the individual, cultural and organizational barriers impeding Asian American progress in education and the workplace — for them in admissions.

The Asian American students at Chapel Hill accused the university of favoring Black, indigenous and Hispanic students over white and Asian American students in the admissions process.

Although the Supreme Court began hearing arguments this past Monday, it is unlikely that it will come to a decision prior to spring or even summer of 2023. This is yet another example of the lack of efficiency and haste with which the U.S. judicial system conducts itself.

These two cases will test the conservative majority’s adherence to qualifier paradigms. Any ruling against the current affirmative action policies could drastically change the college admissions process and would be a controversial decision likely resulting in widespread protests and anger.

For those who belong to marginalized groups, affirmative action in the college admissions process has been instrumental to their ability to attend university. This policy has allowed universities to create diverse communities in which students can feel a sense

of belonging and enrichment. However, it is important to keep in mind the SFFA’s perspective as they believe that applicants should be considered as individuals and not just as a number to meet a certain quota. The raceconscious admissions process has helped many minority groups that would otherwise have been overlooked to be accepted into a top-tier education, which is why the Supreme Court should maintain its stance and reject the argument that the plaintiffs are trying to convey.

Thanks to the affirmative action policy that is put in place nowadays, there are many more diverse college communities that enrich and expand students’ perspectives on inclusion and diversity.

In the wake of movements such as Black Lives Matter, most universities have begun prioritizing meeting racial and ethnic quotas. Selective universities like Harvard and UNC-Chapel Hill didn't admit students of color until race-conscious admissions policies were finally implemented to make sure those students were not overlooked because of the color of their skin or ethnicity. Affirmative action policies have helped these students, however, if they are now putting Asian American students at a disadvantage, then we are back to where we began and a new admissions process must be considered.

Contact Lourdes Lopez at lopelm22@wfu.edu

Politics

Is it time to move on from Trump?

Trump's stain on the presidency will only dissipate if the country stops fixating on him Conor Metzger Staff Columnist

New York Attorney General Letitia James recently filed a civil suit against former President Donald Trump, claiming he inflated asset prices to get better deals. This suit is just one of many to have been brought against the former president and is obviously calculated for the midterm elections, in which Democrats are projected to lose big. This has left the Democratic Party with no choice but to pivot to their old, reliable talking point to motivate their base: that the Trump presidency was a nightmare.

I’m using “nightmare” here for a specific reason — for one, I fall into the camp that believes that Trump and his time in office will not be looked upon favorably in the annals of history. I use it to draw a lesson from the records that have already been written. I wish to preface my argument by saying that Trump— a non-political media personality who decided to be president for reasons that remain unclear— was an anomaly in himself.

While it is difficult to compare him with any other president, there is a key point we can take away by looking at the end of President Nixon’s term.

Nixon left office in disgrace, having admitted to crimes involving break-ins, bribery and other political intrigues. It was a story that left a stain not just on him, but on the American presidency for decades to come.

The American people, for the first time, did not see a leader whom they could respect, no

matter what side of the aisle they were on.

Instead, they saw a human with flaws. This weight has carried into our modern-day conception of the president, and it may be for the better. When Nixon resigned the presidency, people were ready to viscously attack him and try him for his crimes … but this did not come to be.

In one of his first acts of office, President Gerald Ford made the decision to pardon Nixon for crimes committed, meaning that Nixon was legally guilty of the crimes, but did not have to stand trial or punishment.

This decision upset people of both parties at the time, but it is now considered one of the most selfless acts that an American president has committed. Why did President Ford do it? In his own words, he wanted “our long national nightmare [to be] over.”

This is where we are now — with the Democrats pushing us to not forget the nightmare and the Republicans in complete denial that there ever was one. There is an in-between, though, of remembering a memory and living that memory. Right now, we are constantly living in the memory of Trump, and we have to move on.

Of course, there are differences between Trump and Nixon. For one, Nixon admitted to his wrongs, while Trump is adamant that there has been no wrongdoing. Also, Trump could still run again, justifiably worrying some conscientious voters. However, we have to accept a public view of looking ahead, not behind. Every new article about Trump either elicits unneeded hatred from Democrats

or stokes the flames of hope for Republicans that their leader will come back and prove everyone wrong.

Emotion and vanity are two qualities that can be difficult to attach to a president. I raised the point earlier that Watergate led to a complete distrust in the American Presidency, but is this good or bad? Should we place the President on a pedestal of trust? Or should we hold them accountable for their human flaws?

I will be honest and say I am not sure of these answers. It would not necessarily be a bad thing if we moved in the realm in between these absolutes, but lately it feels like we can’t help either liking or hating whoever is in that chair. However, respect is not made up of feelings. Trump’s effect on American politics has been complicated, but maybe we were too quick to make judgments. Maybe Democrats are to blame for only seeing his weaknesses and Republicans are to blame for only seeing his strengths. Going back to the realm of respect, this involves recognizing both fault and merit within the President.

With every new attention-grabbing headline and voter conspiracy, Trump has left his own stain on the American presidency that we will have to recognize. But most of a stain can be washed away in time, which is precisely what President Ford was doing. If we let it sit and grow, then that is where we have to look at our own failures as a people.

Contact Conor Metzger at metzcr19@wfu.edu

Photo courtesy of The New Yorker

Letitia James announces lawsuit against Donald Trump.

SPORTS

Ian Steffensen stefip21@wfu.edu Aaron Nataline nataae21@wfu.edu

Follow us on Twitter @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK

PAGE 11 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022

Wake Forest Claims 2022 ACC Cross Country Championship

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

COOPER SULLIVAN Multimedia Managing Editor

For the second time in two weeks, men’s cross country was making the four-hour bus ride back from a meet in Charlottesville, VA. For the first time in 28 years, an ACC Championship trophy would be making the trip down to Winston-Salem too.

The Demon Deacons were narrowly favored to win the conference title back in September but won the Oct. 27 meet in convincing fashion, nearly halving the team score of the runner-up Syracuse.

Aaron Las Heras (23:09.2) was the first Racin’ Deac to cross the finish line of the 8k race in third place, with Luke Tewalt (23:09.4) only a step behind in fourth. The senior and junior both notched personal bests. Graduate runners Thomas Vanoppen (23:12.4) and Zach Facioni (23:15.4) claimed the fifth and eighth-placed spots. All four were given All-ACC recognitions after finishing within the top-21.

Facioni credited the Deacs’ race at Panorama Farms two weeks earlier for helping the team finish at the top of the podium.

“Mentally it's a lot easier to know how it runs, where you can make moves and where you can't,” Facioni said.

“One of the key things we learned from last time is it that after 5k, it doesn't really change that much. Going into this we kind of tried to use that as much as we could, making sure that we were where we needed to be at around that spot.”

Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos (23:27.7) rounded out the scoring five in 24th, but after leading the race at the halfway point, the graduate runner was worried he hadn’t given enough.

“At 6km, I started falling off a little bit so I wasn’t sure [if we would win],” Martinez de Pinillos said. “I was trying to salvage every place I could while I felt absolutely spent.

I crossed the line thinking ‘oh my god, I just screwed this up for my team.’”

This would not be the case as Wake Forest ended the meet with 44 points compared to Syracuse’s 86, UNC’s 87, and two-time defending champion Notre Dame’s 92.

Head coach John Hayes was shocked by the margin of victory especially after the team’s poor start. Wake Forest

was anticipating a slower pace at the beginning which allowed for runners from Notre Dame, UNC and Virginia to get to a quick lead. Led by Vanoppen, Martinez de Pinillos and Tewalt, the Deacs started to make their attack around the 3km mark.

“When our guys moved to the front, it looked like other people just mentally collapsed,” Hayes said. “That’s a testament to how the guys prepared and what the guys did on that pace at that point in time. They raised it a level and hurt people.”

Although the conference title is secured, the season is far from over. Focus has now shifted to regionals which will be in Louisville, KY on Nov. 11.

“They know we’ve got a task ahead of us, so they can only be on cloud nine for a moment,” Hayes said. “[On Sunday], we were running 16 miles about an hour south of hear on some rolling dirt roads so there’s not a lot of time to celebrate.”

Contact Cooper Sullivan at sullcg20@wfu.edu

Third quarter collapse sends Louisville over Demon Deacons AINE PIERRE Online Managing Editor

“That was a thorough ass kicking.”

That was what head coach Dave Clawson had to say after the No. 10 Demon Deacons, now 2-2 in ACC play, fell to the Louisville Cardinals 48-21.

On Halloween weekend, it truly is hard to imagine a more nightmarish game for Wake Forest. The loss was largely the result of the Demon Deacons’ third quarter meltdown, in which they were outscored 35-0 and turned the ball over six times. Wake Forest, which has been ranked No. 10 in the nation only twice (2021 and 2022) has lost in the next game twice — in 2021, UNC erased an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun the then-No. 10 Demon Deacons.

The Demon Deacons sit at No. 20 in Week 9 of 2022.

“It was a disaster,” Clawson said of his team’s performance against Louisville. “I didn’t have them prepared today, and I have to sleep on that.”

QB Sam Hartman (20/35, 271 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT) was involved in each of Wake Forest’s third-quarter turnovers and did not return for the fourth quarter. In a postgame press conference, Hartman’s team threw its support behind him.

“It doesn’t matter,” LB Ryan Smenda said of Hartman.

“That’s my brother, and I love him.”

Wake Forest’s offense started slow, only netting nine yards in the first quarter. On the Demon Deacons’ first drive, Hartman lost the ball after being ruled down. The original ruling on the field was a fumble, but it was then reversed. However, a Malik Cunningham rushing touchdown and two field goals put Louisville ahead 13-0 at the end of the first quarter.

By halftime, Wake Forest had erased that deficit. A Justice Ellison rushing touchdown got Wake Forest on the board with 11:15 to go in the second quarter. Roughly six minutes later,the Demon Deacons had the lead.

Louisville almost took the lead before the half with a field goal, but penalties negated two successful tries, and K James Turner missed from 46 yards. With the ball on its own 29, Wake Forest made it to the Louisville 15-yard-line before an attempted touchdown pass sailed over A. T. Perry’s head.

During that drive, Wake Forest ran about 45 seconds off the clock — a move that seemed intentional but baffled observers.

Before Louisville took full control of the game, officiating was a hot topic. Toward the end of the first half, Perry’s arm was held back as he attempted to grab a pass — the ruling on the field was an incomplete pass, not defensive

pass interference. Wake Forest’s second touchdown, a 16yard bullet to Jahmal Banks, was reviewed because the ball might have touched the ground. The replay official, to the chagrin of Louisville fans, confirmed the call on the field of a touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, backup QB Mitch Griffis, who is presumed to be Wake Forest’s future starter, went 6/9 for 39 yards and a touchdown. Griffis’ touchdown pass went to freshman TE Trey Boll for five yards.

Wake Forest will regroup and travel to N.C. State for a crucial ACC match next Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Elsewhere in the ACC, Syracuse — largely viewed as a key obstacle to Wake Forest’s hopes of an Orange Bowl berth — fell to Notre Dame 41-24 at home. UNC, however, took care of business against Pittsburgh, winning 42-24.

Clawson said that next week, and the slate of games that follow (against UNC, Syracuse and Duke) will be where Wake Forest can prove that its dismal performance against Louisville was a ghastly exception.

“We have a good football team, but we didn’t play well,” Clawson said. “I know what our football team is made of, and now we have to come back and prove it.”

Contact Aine Pierre at pierav20@wfu.edu

Page 12 | Thursday, November 3, 2022

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Wake Forest shines on Senior Night The victory gives the Demon Deacons a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament MATTHEW KULYNYCH Staff Writer

The Wake Forest men’s soccer team finished off the regular season with a dominant 3-0 win over the No. 9 ranked Louisville Cardinals on Friday’s senior night game at Spry Stadium. The match would decide which of the two teams would claim a first-round bye in the ACC tournament, and with the victory, the Demon Deacons claimed the 4th seed and subsequent bye. The victory also improved Wake Forest’s record to 13-4-0 and 5-3-0 in conference play.

The night’s festivities started out with the recognition of the 2022-23 senior class. The team recognized five seniors: defender Sebastian Scrivner (21 career appearances), goalkeeper Cole McNally (18 appearances with 42 saves), midfielder Takuma Suzuki (59 appearances with 52 career starts), midfielder David Wrona (58 appearances with 14 career points), and midfielder Omar Hernandez (67 appearances with 12 goals and 14 assists, as well as a 2021 All-ACC Third Team selection).

All five players were recognized on the field along with their families, and received framed jerseys accompanied by loud cheers from the Spry faithful.

The festivities would have to be temporarily put aside, as the Demon Deacons had a crucial match against ACC rival Louisville to focus on. The Cardinals came into the game with a 9-3-3 record and a No. 9 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches’ poll, so Wake Forest would have a tough test to end the regular season. Fortunately for the Demon Deacons, freshman midfielder Cooper Flax returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the 6-1 win over Clemson back in September, where he picked up an injury. Hosei Kijima was still out, being seen on the sidelines in crutches, but at least 1 major piece of a dominant Demon Deacon midfield had returned.

Louisville looked to assert themselves from the start, putting a high press on the Wake Forest backline when the Demon Deacons had possession. The first shot of the match would fall to Wake Forest just over five minutes into the match, though. Dynamic sophomore Baba Niang picked up the ball in the center circle, and dribbled past 3-4 Cardinal defenders with pace.

His shot from the edge of the box fell harmlessly wide of the left post, but it set a precedent for what Niang would do all night long.

Louisville’s pressure almost led to the first goal just minutes later. Under pressure, goalkeeper Trace Alphin played a poor pass which was intercepted by a Louisville attacker at the top of the box. Fortunately for the Demon Deacons, the subsequent shot flew wide of the bottom right corner, but it was certainly a nervy moment for the defense.

Alphin made up for his earlier error with a big save in the 16th minute. A Louisville center back rose highest on a corner kick, but Alphin reacted quickly to push it wide of the post. Wake Forest would then clear and

Photo courtesy of Evan Harris/Old Gold and Black

Sophomore Mitchell score in

striker Roald celebrates his the 67th minute.

Photo courtesy of Evan Harris/Old Gold and Black

Wa k e Fo r e s t m a r c h e s o f f o f S p r y S t a d i u m a f t e r a d o m i n a n t 3 - 0 w i n o ve r A C C r i v a l L o u i s v i l l e , t o g e t a f i r s t r o u n d b y e i n t h e u p c o m i n g A C C To u r n a m e n t .

counter attack up the other end through Baba Niang.

The winger’s dribbling had been causing all sorts of problems throughout the match so far, and in this instance, he picked the ball up at midfield and dribbled through an assortment of Louisville defenders, ultimately winning a corner of his own.

The game had been pretty back and forth in the first 20 minutes, but Wake Forest thoroughly controlled the final 20-or-so minutes of the first half. The best chance of the half came in the 26th minute through striker Roald Mitchell. Cooper Flax pinged a perfect long ball to Mitchell, who took it down with a perfectly soft touch. He was able to hold off and beat his defender and dribble into the box, but seemed to open up his hips just a little too much, as his shot from about 10 yards out was turned away. Wake Forest had a few more big chances before halftime but was unable to beat the Louisville keeper.

The halftime whistle blew with the score still tied at zero, but the Demon Deacons would have felt as though they should have been in front. They held an 8-5 shot advantage and had the best chances, but nonetheless, the score remained level. Though Louisville’s high press had caused a few problems, Wake Forest was generally able to play around it either through the midfield or by sending long balls to the forwards.

The second half started a bit slow in terms of clear chances. Wake Forest dominated possession of the ball, but struggled to find space to get the shot away. Baba Niang got the first shot of the half in the 55th minute.

He received a ball on the left side near the top corner of the box, and cut inside onto his right foot. Niang hammered a shot towards the top right corner, but it flew a couple yards wide. Despite not yet being able to find the net, Niang had been probably the best player on the field, creating chances, winning free kicks, and dribbling through numerous Cardinal defenders.

Niang would be the one to find the opener in the 60th minute. Similar to his earlier chance, Mitchell received and controlled a perfectly placed long ball by Cooper Flax, this time taking him to the left side of the box. Realizing he was at a tough angle, Mitchell made the smart decision to lay the ball off to the onrushing Baba Niang, who made a follow up run from midfield.

The in-form midfielder wasted no time, sending a firsttime shot with his left foot into the top right corner to give the Demon Deacons a deserved lead. He was substituted after the goal, but Cooper Flax’s influence

had been clear on the game. The freshman star created chance after chance, and was a calm influence in midfield all game.

Just a few minutes later, Roald Mitchell found his first goal since the 3-2 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sept. 13 to give Wake Forest a 2-0 lead. An excellent bit of pressure from senior Takuma Suzuki led to a ball being popped into the air, which fellow senior David Wrona controlled perfectly off his chest on the right wing. He laid it off for right-back Cristian Escribano. The full back expertly dribbled through two defenders and passed it to Mitchell in the center of the box. The striker then pushed it onto his left and placed a shot into the bottom left corner beyond the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper. Mitchell exuberantly celebrated by putting on a Halloween mask from the crowd, visualizing how scary this Demon Deacon attack had been.

Leo Guarino put the game to bed in the 79th minute with a perfectly placed bicycle kick which gave two seniors an assist on a corner kick. Set-piece specialist Omar Hernandez floated the corner to the back post, where stalwart midfielder Takuma Suzuki won the header and sent it back into the center of the box. Striker Leo Guarino saw his opportunity for a spectacular goal, and he swung his leg to hit the bicycle kick into the bottom right corner.

Wake Forest was able to celebrate all five seniors by bringing on goalkeeper Cole McNally, midfielder David Wrona, and defender Sebastian Scrivner to join Suzuki and Hernandez in the 86th minute. Scrivener was instantly involved, getting a yellow card in a scuffle that saw a Louisville player theatrically throwing himself to the floor just 8 seconds after coming onto the pitch.

In the 90th minute, a chorus of “thank you seniors” bellowed out from the crowd to show appreciation for the seniors who had given four or more years to the program.

The final whistle confirmed the dominant victory for the Demon Deacons, and sealed a first round bye in the ACC tournament. This means the fixture could be repeated next Sunday November 6, as Wake Forest will host the winner of Wednesday’s first round game between Louisville and Virginia Tech.

Contact Matthew Kulynych at kulymh21@wfu.edu

Sports | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, November 3, 2022 | Page 13

Wake Forest Volleyball team goes 1-1 at home After being swept by No. 7 Pitt, the Demon Deacons sweep Virginia EVAN HARRIS Photography Editor The Wake Forest Volleyball team went 1-1 at home over the weekend with a 3-0 loss to #7 Pitt and a 3-0 victory against UVA. The Wake Forest volleyball team hosted the No. 7 Pitt Panthers at the Reynolds Gym on Friday, Oct. 28 after two long weeks of being on the road. Despite a tough performance against highly skilled opposition, the Deacs were unable to prevent a Pittsburgh sweep, losing the match 25-21, 25-13, 25-19. The game marked their fifth loss in a row, three of their last five losses being sweeps.

From the beginning of the first set, Pitt maintained an early lead, pulling ahead 5-1. The first set marked a career milestone for graduate student Andrea Fuentes, who recorded her 4,500th assist for Wake Forest. The Deacons started the game on the backfoot, but found their rhythm with kills by junior Olivia Franke, senior Emmy Ogogor, and freshman Paige Crawford, cutting Pitt’s lead to just one at 8-7. The Demon Deacons would eventually take the lead for the first time following an ace from freshman Rian Baker. While the Deacs were able to keep it close, the Panthers showed why they are a top-10 team, going on a 4-0 run to cement their lead, taking the first set shortly

Photo courtesy of Evan Harris / Old Gold & Black

Junior outside hitter Ashley Slater (No. 14 in black) sends down a powerful strike on the Cavaliers. Slater led Wake Forest in kills with 10.

afterward.

The second set performance did not have the same intensity; the Deacs made twice as many errors (10) as they did kills (5), hitting a -0.179 percentage compared to Pitt’s .370. Wake drew first blood but was unable to keep the shifting momentum, allowing a dominating performance by the Panthers, who took their second set comfortably.

The Deacons would put up a valiant effort in the third set, keeping it close until the very end. Wake remained competitive thanks to strong performances by junior Olivia Franke who led the Deacs on the night in kills (8) and blocks (3) and freshman Rian Baker who led in assists (12).

Wake kept a steady lead for their first 12 points, going back and forth with the Panthers soon afterward. The third set featured 8 ties and 5 lead changes. The Demon Deacons were unable to hold on towards the end of play, falling in the final set 25-19 after an unanswered Pitt scoring run. Pittsburgh extended their 15-game winning streak and retained their spot at the top of the ACC standings.

On Sunday, Oct. 30, the Deacons hosted the University of Virginia Cavaliers. Wake Forest took all three sets winning the match 25-16, 25-20, 25-23 and snapped its five-game losing streak. The Demon Deacons made a dominating return to winning ways, recording an impressive .358 hitting percentage—their second highest percentage in 2022. Five Demon Deacons ended the night with 6 or more kills, outscoring Virginia 57-38.

The Demon Deacons came out with intention in the first set, entering the game

with a 5-0 unanswered scoring run helped by three aces by Fuentes. The Cavaliers’ attempt to keep it close was shut down by the Demon Deacons who could not be caught, maintaining a lead of at least three throughout the whole set.

In the second set the Deacs recorded an impressive .464 hitting percentage committing only two errors. UVA only committed three errors compared to Wake’s two. The Demon Deacons, however, controlled the tempo, creating a lead that Virginia would never overtake, taking set two with ease.

Both teams fought tooth and nail in the final set. UVA opened the scoring off of a Wake error, leading the game for the first time in the contest. The Cavaliers were unable to hold onto the lead after a 7-0 run by the Deacs put the score at 8-3. Virginia responded with a 6-0 scoring run of their own, tying the match at 11. Both teams went back and forth in a suspenseful finish that went right down to the wire. The Deacons were able to hang on for a narrow 2 point victory in the 3rd set, sweeping the Cavaliers in front of a packed home crowd.

Wake Forest Volleyball (13-10, 5-7 ACC) will be back in action this week with two ACC conference matchups.

First, the Deacs will play last-place Virginia Tech (2-10) in Blacksburg at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. On Sunday, the Demon Deacons host Big Four rival Duke at the Reynolds Gymnasium at 1 p.m.

Contact Evan Harris at harres22@wfu.edu

Field hockey surges past Syracuse on senior night The 4-0 victory against a top-10 team secures the two-seed in the ACC championship AARON NATALINE Sports Editor Senior nights are naturally going to feel special. Athletes walk into their home stadium for their careers’ regular-season finale, ready to pour the passion for their sport into a performance that aims to match the significance of the event.

This past Friday, Oct. 28, No. 12 Wake Forest field hockey mesmerized those proud families, friends, and fans with a 4-0 victory over No. 9 Syracuse. The senior night for Wake Forest field hockey was beyond special. The performance that the Demon Deacons put on was like no other and made for a bittersweet experience as seniors and graduates strode down midfield with their proud families.

The matchup quickly unfolded as if the Demon Deacons were a higher-ranked, top10 squad. Maybe that should be expected with the advantage of so many families and friends present to celebrate senior players’ careers one last time at Kentner Stadium, but I just don’t know if I can chalk it all up to that— it seemed that I was simply witnessing a masterclass.

Just seven minutes into the game, Wake Forest perfectly executed a play off of a penalty corner to take an early lead. Junior midfielder Grace Delmotte sent the ball to the corner with precision to midfielder Meike Lanckohr at the center of the line.

The senior quickly positioned the ball for graduate defender Sky Carson to whip into the bottom left corner of the goal. Putting the team up 1-0, the tag team of Lanckohr and Caron celebrated their early score, but

they were far from finishing their impressive performance on senior night.

Carson anchored the offense all night with junior defender Lee Ann Gordon and graduate midfielder Abby Carpenter. They were flawlessly able to swing the ball among the three of them until a deeper pass opened up for an attacker.

Meike Lanchokr took advantage of a buildup not three minutes after the first goal when she made a senior’s cut to the left side of the shooting circle to smoothly receive a pass and dribble it right up to the goal cage.

Syracuse already knew to be wary of her, so defenders and goalkeeper alike focused on her as Lanchokr skipped the ball to junior forward Anna Gwiazdsinkski, who calmly fired a scoring shot to bring the lead to 2-0 just under ten minutes into the game.

In the second quarter, there was less of the incredible offensive plays that characterized the first quarter. However, Wake Forest impressed on defense to keep their lead stable going into the half up 2-0 and 3-2 in shots. The Orange attack could not help but be hindered by the defensive pressure of Lanckohr and sophomore midfielder Ashley Hart, a duo constantly forcing turnovers on sideline attacks.

Wake Forest made swift work to claim the momentum in the second half. Six minutes in, they forced back to back penalty corners after junior midfielder Grace Delmotte took the Orange off guard by leaving defenders trailing behind after a series of fake-out jabs and flicks. The crowd roared as she passed right through midfield to get the elongated attack started.

Off a second penalty corner, senior midfielder Nat Friedman collected the ball at

Photo courtesy of Evan Harris / Old Gold & Black

Senior midfielder Meike Lanckohr winds up to fire a shot. Lanckohr had two shots on goal and dished out two assists on her senior night.

the top of the striking circle, calming the excited offense. Then she whipped a pass to dribbling-savant Grace Delmotte, who skipped it onto sophomore midfielder Brooke McCusker right in front of the cage. McCusker flicked a shot around the goalkeeper, who could only watch as Wake Forest went up 3-0.

Syracuse seemed to switch up their gameplan, as they began mimicking the careful passing of Wake Forest instead of relying on dribbling it through midfield. It seemed to pay off for better opportunities toward the end of the third, but their two best chances were thwarted by graduate midfielder Abby Carpenter and freshman forward Rachel Thetford.

With just under three minutes left in the game, Wake Forest saved the arguably most exceptional goal for last.. From the Demon Deacons’ side of the pitch, sophomore midfielder Ashley Hart slung an unbelievable

deep pass down the field, the ball never leaving the ground but somehow finding junior defender Immie Gillgrass alone with the Syracuse goalkeeper. The latter came out from the cage to try to stop the ball earlier, but Gillgrass dove to get to the pass first and swung a shot from the right side of the striking circle into the bottom left corner of the goal. I think everyone present was stunned by the play, but nevertheless, Wake Forest went up 4-0 in an expiring match against a top-ten opponent.

This victory secured Wake Forest a twoseed in the conference field hockey championship. To make senior night even sweeter, seniors Sky Carson and Meike Lanckohr were named to the All-ACC first team, and senior Nat Friedman earned placement in the second team.

Contact Aaron Nataline at nataae21@wfu.edu

PAGE 14 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022

LIFE OLD GOLD & BLACK

Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu

What freedom is worth

A Chinese international student ruminates on issues back home ANONYMOUS Special to the Old Gold & Black

Editors' note: Due to the potential risks of writing on this topic, the writer has requested to remain anonymous, and their role in our organization will not be disclosed. The Old Gold & Black respects these requests out of the utmost caution for those who choose to share their stories with us. The events depicted in this account regarding the posters are as they happened in real life; the sections regarding daily routine are amalgamated from the author's day-to-day life.

She wakes up to the sound of her roommate’s alarm blaring. Her roommate has a 9 a.m. class, and her first class is at 11 a.m. She says to her roommate in Chinese, “Turn off your alarm clock.”

Her roommate doesn’t wake up, so she’s forced to get out of the warm, cozy cuddle of her blanket — a blanket that her mom had picked out that went all the way across the Pacific with her.

She turns off her roommate’s alarm for her, and she goes to pick out the outfit of the day. Nothing too dressy— the clothes her mom got for her somehow feel weird amidst the Lululemon and Abercrombie & Fitch that the girls at school; nothing too casual— sweatpants are apparently too casual for the business school, as she was kindly reminded by a graduate student talking loudly behind her back a semester before; and nothing too uptight, of course.

She spends ten minutes in front of the mirror and finally comes up with something not too gay, not too straight and not too Asian. She decides to skip breakfast for the day — she could already imagine the disapproving frowns of her parents at the news — but her peers all do it, so her stomach, over time, conforms to the new social norm.

She gets through all of her classes and the group discussions from which she cowers. She dreads small talk; the convo is usually parties, sports and — worst of all — internships, which she dreads. But she gets through them, and soon she is sitting in the warm, comfy chair in the Tribble main room, and her gaze falls upon the black-and-white, A4 poster that is at once vaguely and alarmingly

familiar. She almost spilled her drink on it in the urgency to pick it up. When she does, she turns it in her hands like it is a precious jewel that burns.

She doesn’t know that this pamphlet could appear in a small town called Winston-Salem in North Carolina, approximately 7,072 miles away from the main character of the pamphlet, doing God-knows-what in God-knows-which ungooglable place in Beijing. She reads the words carefully, over and over again, both the Chinese and their English translation. They slowly became blurry save the six “NOTs” that sharply stung her eyes and the crossed-out image of the figure most frequently seen on TV back

home. She shivers inwardly with admiration at the courage and beauty embedded in the simple, succinct Chinese characters and their not-so-acute English translation.

Those words popped up in her story a few days ago. Initially, they appeared on a banner hung from a highway just a block from where her parents lived, but just hours later were erased entirely from the internet’s memory, like a blank and heavy cloud suffocating the minds of those who saw and heard of it but would never menPhoto courtesy of Flickr Photo by Connor McNeely/Old Gold & Black

tion it again. But not too outside of the firewall, so thousands residing outside the country retweet and repost them. They are hung up on banners in universities all across Europe, North America and East Asia, while the silent mass of onlookers — inside and outside the firewall — speculate and wait with bated breath on the impact of these acts of defiance. Which are what, precisely? She reflects and realizes, with a sinking feeling, that she doesn’t know. Who was the brave individual who had put up the banners?

What will happen to him or her? Would the future be revised?

The motherland suffocates and staggers in the chains of unreasonable policies and questionable political actions, failed international contracts and abandoned promises, and all she can do is stare at the pamphlet in her hands, wishing that there was something — anything — that could be done.

Should she go on to print even more pamphlets? Should she write an ode to the fallen brave? Or should she stay silent, just sit there, ponder, and get up and leave? Should she turn a blind eye to those who died, lost their families and lost their jobs due to the covid-policies? Should she pretend not to notice the heavy cloud of something that’s so painfully familiar, billowed over the head of 1.4 billion Chinese people? Should she lash out with the vengeance of a revolutionist and cry for freedom outside of the firewall?

The cold hands and trembling lips would mirror that of those within, though plastered with grimacing smiles and feigned content. She takes out a marker and hesitates. Should she write the national anthem?

Yes, that will do.

“Rise, those who refused to be enslaved.

Use our blood and bodies to build up the new Great Wall.”

Alas, she has never been to the Great Wall; it has transformed from a wall that fortifies her motherland’s border into a wall that attracts 9.9 million tourists every year, which boosts the economy. A good thing.

Someone approaches her. A fellow Chinese girl. She quickly drops the pen.

“Did you print this?” she asks.

She shakes her head almost too quickly. “It wasn’t me.”

They exchange a quick look between them. “It would be perfect if the formatting looked better.”

She nodded in agreement: it would be better if it were more artistically pleasing.Poetry would be better.

But words are words, poems are poems and freedom is freedom.

She can’t really tell which one is worth more, and which one is worth less.

Life | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, November 3, 2022 | Page 15

"Letters Left Unanswered": A short story SELINNA TRAN Print Managing Editor

I frequently enjoy visiting the local Barnes & Noble to have a nice, comforting place to study or catch up on some schoolwork. Oftentimes, I end up completing very little work but find myself occupying my time by observing the individuals around me.

Across from me right now is an elderly woman, looking to be around the age of 65. She just crinkled up the bag that encased her Starbucks cookie and stuffed it into the plastic cup that had previously housed the Coke that she transferred from the bottle to a cup of ice. The other inhabitants of the table at which she sits are a book, a nondescript box and a card still enveloped in its cellophane packaging.

Although the weather is upwards of seventy degrees and quite warm, she is wrapped in layers. She has been at the

bookstore for about an hour — the first quarter spent perusing books, and the latter part spent simply sitting down at the Starbucks cafe.

I am not quite sure why I do this, but my brain lends itself to weaving these melancholic — and often depressing — backstories for these individuals around me. For example, the lady across from me, let’s call her Donna (a name probably reminiscent of the song

by The Lumineers). My mind fabricated this entire story that explains her solitude in the bookstore today. Perhaps it’s because all of those that she loves around her have passed. A husband that she used to have — one who would bring her her favorite cookie (when he remembered) after he got off of work.

They met in college, and there wasn’t much intense passion like one thinks about in romantic novels, but they had a steady love, one that was dependable.

She knew he would never hurt her, and he knew that she would always be

by his side. And she was, for the forty years they were together. They gave birth to one son and their story was an American classic. They raised him with all the love they had and sent him off to a four-year university to do “whatever makes him happy”.

Donna did not live with much excitement, but she didn’t need it. She had a life full of stability, and it was one that she did not look back on with many memories of immense depression or sadness — but also not immense happiness.

For the past five years, life has been pretty much the same for Donna. Every morning, she wakes up and makes herself some coffee like she has done for most of her life. It’s probably not that good for her health, but it’s routine.

She always seems to accidentally make a little bit too much because she tends to forget there’s not a second person to drink the rest.

She stops by the local bookstore oc-

casionally to see if there’s something to occupy her mind. Sometimes she stops by the stationary section to potentially grab a card to send to her son.

The last twenty were unanswered. Perhaps there is something wrong with the postal service — life does move at a much faster pace nowadays than Donna is used to.

Donna coughs, the Coke that she is drinking is a bit too bubbly and hits her throat in the wrong way. Still, she continues drinking. After a few pauses of looking around her, Donna gets up and looks at the children’s novels. She thinks for a moment, scanning her eyes over the jacket of the book. It is then that she remembers her son’s many (unsuccessful) attempts at bringing to life a grandchild for Donna.

She closes the book and leaves the bookstore.

Contact Selinna Tran at transn19@wfu.edu

Football fashion in the forest Analyzing the style of the Wake Forest student section ROKSANNA KEYVAN Contributing Writer

the University of Michigan or Indiana University. At Wake Forest, gameday student sections always boast a multitude of colors, but these hues tend to blur together and fail to explicitly express a sense of unified Deacon pride.

School spirit, in general, is rather underwhelming — with the exception of the Deacs who rep the iconic gold and black striped overalls to each gameday and to the Clemson blackout game.

That’s not to say that the outfits in the stands aren’t impressive and eye-catching (the striped-overall outfits are visually bold, memorable and my personal favorite) it's simply that Wake Forest fashion maintains a greater degree of stylistic individuality. And for that reason, I enjoy witnessing the gameday outfits of Wake Forest students because they aren’t afraid to put fashion first.

So what do Wake students wear? For girls, it includes either a dress or skirt, some sort of cropped or ruched top and, most importantly, cowgirl boots.

For boys, there’s the classic golf polo and khaki shorts combo. You can’t go wrong with either of these classic outfits. They’re functional, reliable, and ideal for navigating the tailgate and repping school spirit from the stadium seats.

I have heard many complaints about how all students dress the “same” at

Wake Forest when they wear the classic gameday outfit. But if you look closely, they are all unique in their own respects. Ironically, there is only We have all heard about the epic one problem with these outfits, which highs and lows of high school footis that no one bothers to look closely ball. But in college, football becomes enough. The whole idea of gameday an atmosphere full of high-top sneakfashion is to observe the unity of the ers and low-rise jeans. I am, indeed, crowd. And that’s how I believe the talking about college football gameWake Forest community could imday fashion — particularly the outfits prove itself — by repping fashion of our own student body. designed to impress viewers from a At Wake Forest, students love repdistance. Sacrificing some individuping the iconic gold and black. But ality has the potential to implement a let’s be real, gold and black are relvisual impact on game days. atively basic colors that lack the viI truly adored the game against brancy of Clemson’s Orange or LSU’s Clemson for its sense of otherworldly purple. I have to admit, I am guilty of harmony in the crowd (I admit I am a choosing to wear colors and outfits hypocrite for saying this because I did that satisfy my current mood rather in fact wear an orange, tiger-striped than outfits that exude school spirit. dress). This was the first time I truly And by the looks of it, I’m not alone felt overcome by the strength of the in my choices. I can’t help but notice Wake Forest community — united in that our color scheme rarely takes a both spirit and color — against an opnoticeable role in the stands. ponent. It was powerful. The stuI am not saying all Wake Forest dents asserted a visual dominance students don’t wear school colors, while Clemson fans were overshadbecause some do. Common gameowed by Deacon pride — and rightday colors will include black, gold, fully so. yellow, white and the occasional patSo, where do our fashion outliterned mix of all aforementioned colers make their mark? Primarily in ors for many Wake Forest students. color choice! I have attached a few Yet, the visual impact of Wake Forpaparazzi shots of Demon Deacons est’s student section is faint in comwith exceptional outfits, and the one parison to that of state schools like factor uniting all of them is their unapologetically bold colors. For me, wearing neon green and pink always works to make a visual statement. In the case of the Clemson game, wearing an orange, tiger-striped dress in the sea of assorted black outfits definitely drew a couple of (rather judgemental and confused) stares. Color coordination coupled with an outfit that stylistically differs from the classic gameday outfit always turns heads.

Although I seem to indicate othRoksanna Keyvan/ Old Gold & Black erwise, I feel the need to stress that On gameday, the Wake Forest student section shows out in monochrome unity is not essential. all black for a football game against ACC rival, Clemson. If the Wake Forest community can

Roksanna Keyvan/ Old Gold & Black

Bright colors stand out in contrast to black and gold. create a powerful visual impact — even without repping the trademark school colors — then it will succeed as a spirit base. The hard part is figuring out just how to do just that — and to also inform the several thousand students attending the game to cross-coordinate their outfits with one another. Is it possible? Maybe! Is it probable? Maybe not – but I am an optimist. Perhaps if someone Fizzed about dress code ideas before the next gameday, we would have better luck coordinating fashion in the forest. Until then, we Deacs will keep on repping our school pride in our own individual ways.

Contact Roksanna Keyvan at keyvr22@wfu.edu

Page 16 | Thursday, November 3, 2022

Old Gold & Black | Life

LIFE THROUGH THE LENS

JIMENA ELMUFDI A personal reflection on Latinx Heritage Month

JIMENA ELMUFDI Contributing Writer

During my Danish Language and Culture class last week, our professor remarked on the unwritten rules of Danish culture. Denmark is often praised for its efforts to create a homogenous society but, over the past 40 years, the sudden increase in immigration has caused quite a stir. This clash of cultures is a recurring topic of discussion and has been mentioned in every single one of my courses this semester.

My professor attempted to explain the challenges faced by immigrant families. She said that when a small group of people is placed in a new environment, they often go unnoticed. Instead of feeling exposed, they spread out and blend in. Integration is vital. However, when a large group of people enters a new environment, they take a different approach and instead form their own organized community.

I nodded as she explained her theory, thinking of how accurately this analogy described my perception of Wake Forest. However, I can only speak from my own experience as a Latin American student — I’m not looking to generalize other students’ experiences.

Most, if not all of us international students, are choosing to leave our home countries and immerse ourselves in a new culture for the sake of having a better academic opportunity, increasing our exposure to the renowned “American dream”. Embracing this change is part of the experience. It is usually something we want, but we underestimate how hard it is to dispose of our cultural baggage. It isn’t that we are forced to erase our cultural identity but that it feels irrelevant when surrounded by people who don’t share important parts of our personal background.

Blending in is something of which many international students are actively aware because, as much as we are encouraged to stand out, we all crave that feeling of belonging. To blend in, we conform. We replace a lot of the things that are not relatable to others. We put our differences aside and pick new traits that resemble others around us.

Not being able to speak Spanish on a daily basis was something that felt frustrating at times; I didn’t realize how it could be considered a personality trait. It is certainly a weird concept, but I feel that I express myself — and therefore my character — better in my mother tongue. I understand when students stick with others from their home country, not because they refuse to have American friends, but because it is a way of seeking comfort. It is part of our intuition to stick with those who remind us of home.

I see this not only in some international students but also among faculty members at Wake Forest. The head of the Spanish department, Professor Luis Gonzalez, always makes an effort to foster a sense of community among Hispanic students — something that is clearly lacking. He is constantly reaching out to us, introducing us to other students with the same background and inspiring connections rooted in that “sameness” we are regularly searching for. I imagine he does this because he also sees the positive effect that this has on us. Perhaps he also finds comfort in sharing with students that connect to his own personal background. For this, I thank him.

Photo courtesy of Jimena Elmufdi

I came to Wake Forest with the goal of befriending mostly Latino students, seeing that this had worked perfectly for my older friends who had already left for college in the United States. I soon realized that there was no such thing as the “Latino safe haven” I had envisioned. There is a very small Latino community at Wake Forest and, within that small community, many Latino students seem to be undercover because of how well they are able to assimilate into American culture. Since we don’t really have an established community to fall into, many international students disperse and easily embrace the American college experience. They prefer this over feeling out of place. I, too, wanted to feel like part of the Wake Forest community, but I didn’t know how to do that without losing myself by replacing everything that wasn’t in accordance with the typical “Wake vibe”.

Although I do admit that it was hard for me to adopt this, I now see the beauty in the act of blending in. Forming connections with American students not only transformed my experience but also helped diversify their college experience as well. It teaches us to accommodate to

change — a skill that is very often overlooked.

As much as we are influenced by American students, I would also argue that we bring differences that become appealing to those who welcome us. I enjoyed bringing my friends back home with me during spring break — it is always amusing to experience your hometown from a foreigner’s perspective. I hysterically laugh when I catch them incorporating Spanish words into their vocabulary because I refuse to abandon them. Listening to Latin artists has now become a carpool karaoke sensation. These small gestures seemingly make up for the things I miss.

We are often intimidated by the controversial ideas that envelop the act of borrowing from other cultures. We are so afraid to be disrespectful that we prefer to ignore them and stick to what strictly belongs to us. Still, there are certain ways in which grasping new cultural conventions can help answer our need to carry our cultural baggage wherever we go so that we don’t feel the need to leave it behind.

Contact Jimena Elmufdi at elmujm20@wfu.edu